Now that you’ve started tackling your New Year’s resolutions, if finding a new job has been on your to-do list for some time now, try not to stress yourself out just yet. Although you may feel as if you’re in a rut—following the same routine when applying to jobs without success—now might be the best time to mix up your routine. To avoid wearing yourself out, take a step back…relax, and use some of the following job search tips to help keep a level head.
Set realistic weekly goals
In order to make the most of your job search and to avoid feeling unaccomplished week after week, try to set small weekly goals. Why? Accomplishing small goals across time will help to slowly push your job search forward. For example, you could set a goal of applying to 5 jobs per week or sending out 8 personalized LinkedIn messages to professionals in or out of your network. While it may seem like an easy task to undertake, sticking to it and accomplishing such goals on a weekly basis can not only boost your overall confidence level, but can also help keep you motivated.
Shoot for quality over quantity opportunities
Whether you’re unemployed or you’re just looking to make a change, the urge to get a new job as soon as possible can result in anxiously submitting applications with high hopes of landing anything. Don’t pick up these bad habits as a job seeker, as a careless approach may decrease your odds of landing a job you are truly passionate about. Therefore, to ensure you are positioning yourself for roles you are qualified for and have the best odds of receiving a call back to, aim to apply to quality opportunities, rather than focusing on applying to any job possible. Remember, the more proactive you can be in trying to meet new professionals through face-to-face meetings, attending networking events, and career fairs, the more likely you may be to find quality roles in your job search!
Pursue temporary/volunteer roles
A hidden market that job seekers often leave untapped is considering the benefits of temporary work and volunteer opportunities. While these options might not be an ideal solution for every professional, they can still help to get your foot in the door with a new organization. A temporary role can broaden your professional network and even help to refresh some technical/soft skills. More importantly, depending on how well you perform in your temporary role, it could potentially evolve into a full-time position, or at least secure your name as first on the contact list the next time a full-time need arises. Similarly, volunteer opportunities give you the chance to stay up-to-date in your respective industry or learn a new skill in a different professional environment.
Maintain a healthy lifestyle
The job search can undoubtedly be stressful on your mind and body if you are repeatedly unsuccessful in your efforts, which in turn can negatively impact how you interview for certain positions. To avoid reaching your tipping point during your job search, be sure to find time for leisure activities just to relax. Some good stress-relief activities that can help to maintain a good search-life balance include exercising, picking up a new hobby, or simply reading a book.
In the end, it’s important to have a healthy well-rounded approach to your job search to ensure you’re not overly-stressed and are strategically exploring all of the options available to you.

With January hiring in full-swing, now is the perfect time for employers and job seekers alike to understand what each side of the job market is looking for in 2015. This is something that we aimed to educate all of our stakeholders on in our 2015 Regional Hiring Outlook, a comprehensive job market report and hiring guide that highlights hiring projections for the Northeast as well as the factors that professionals consider most important in their employer and in a job.
The infographic below serves as a visual guide to the Outlook, and can be used as a quick reference for navigating the 2015 job market.

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The Execu|Search Group is a leading recruitment, temporary staffing, and workforce management solutions firm with offices throughout the U.S. Whether you're a professional interested in making your next move, or an employer looking to improve your hiring strategy, we're here to help!